IDOT Commits $72 Million to Construction of I-74 Mississippi River Bridge at Quad Cities

Construction Commitment Targeted for FY 2017-18
 

MOLINE – May 11, 2012. Illinois Transportation Secretary Ann L. Schneider today announced that the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) will adjust its multi-year transportation program to include a $72-million commitment to constructing a new Interstate 74 bridge across the Mississippi River in Quad Cities. Governor Pat Quinn directed IDOT to include a significant construction commitment in the agency’s current multi-year funding program for the new I-74 bridge.

“We are committed to building the new Mississippi River bridge in the Quad Cities, which will improve traffic flow and boost economic growth in the region,” Governor Quinn said. “This project is a partnership to strengthen the I-74 corridor, and we will continue to work with Iowa and the federal government to secure the necessary resources and get the job done.”

The $72-million construction commitment includes $22 million in Fiscal Year 2017, and an additional $50 million in Fiscal Year 2018. IDOT also has committed more than $34 million to date for engineering, design and land acquisition for the new structure, which is under way. The total cost of the core I-74 bridge across the river is estimated at more than $700 million. The entire bridge reconstruction project, including all approach routes and connectors, is estimated at more than $1.3 billion.

“We have identified additional resources to invest in the I-74 bridge, and we look forward to continuing discussions with the U.S. Department of Transportation on the need for a significant federal commitment to the bridge’s completion,” Illinois Transportation Secretary Schneider said. “Typically, a major bridge structure like this requires as much as two-thirds of its funding from federal sources. Illinois wants to make certain that our entire congressional delegation and federal policymakers understand the need for this bridge replacement, along with our state’s commitment to completing this structure in a timely fashion.”

IDOT also has committed $1.33 million in Fiscal Year 2013 to undertake needed maintenance on the existing structure, built in the early 1960s. “We will continue to commit the maintenance funding needed to keep the existing structure safe and functional until a new bridge is in place,” Schneider said.

Governor Quinn has invested more than $285 million in transportation improvements in the Quad Cities area alone since taking office in 2009, including nearly $210 million for numerous road and bridge improvements, $46 million targeting the Moline transit maintenance facility and multi-modal station, and nearly $30 million for runway reconstruction and other safety improvements at the Quad City International Airport. The Governor also has committed $45 million from the Illinois Jobs Now! capital program to extend passenger rail service from Chicago to Moline, with initial service projected to begin in 2015.